James W. Thelin, Ph.D.

Field Specialty

Research Interests

Much of Dr. Thelin’s research has been conducted on the procedures and practices associated
with clinical audiology. This has included the development of a procedure for hearing
measurement in masking dilemmas, delineation of hearing and auditory function with
genetic disorders and ototoxic drugs, screening and assessment of infant hearing,
and development of guidelines for hearing screening and specification of auditory
function and disability. For 25 years, Dr. Thelin has been involved in the study of
CHARGE syndrome and the development of a foundation for this disorder. CHARGE syndrome
is a genetic disorder that can cause deficits in all sensory modalities and is associated
with a number of serious medical conditions and a unique set of behavioral disorders.
It is the leading cause of congenital deaf-blindness in the US. Dr. Thelin used inferential
techniques to provide the initial descriptions of the auditory deficits that are present
in every part of the auditory system from the external ear to the auditory central
nervous system.

Since approximately half of the children with CHARGE syndrome do not acquire symbolic
language, his research has focused on the factors that affect communication development.
He conducts research on communication in collaboration with speech-language pathologists
and deaf-blind specialists. His past research has shown that the development of symbolic
language is related to the ability to walk independently. He is currently directing
graduate student research on the measurement of the vestibule-ocular reflex in CHARGE
syndrome and on the linguistic forms and functions in children with CHARGE syndrome
who have severely delayed language development.

He is the program director for the one-day meeting of the CHARGE Foundation Professional
Advisory Board and the three-day meeting of families and professionals at the 9th
International CHARGE Syndrome Conference in 2009. In addition, he and three others
are in the process of editing a two-book series on CHARGE syndrome: Description/Diagnosis
and Treatment/Management.